Cisco Live 2014 Experience

I can't tell if time moves faster before, during, or after Cisco Live. It has been two weeks since Cisco Live 2014 in San Francisco, yet it feels like I was at Lefty O'Doul's just yesterday. 

Before it got too far away from me, I wanted to recap my experience. For no reason other than I feel "wrong" if I don't. This year, I think the best way to sum up my Cisco Live 2014 experience is to focus on how, over time, my connection with the Live! event has evolved from being a member of the audience to becoming part of the event.

Congratulations to the Cisco Designated VIPs - 2014

Cisco recently announced the new Designated VIPs for 2014. The Cisco Designated VIP program recognizes the top external individual contributors in Cisco's online communities, including the Cisco Learning Network (CLN), the Cisco Support Community (CSC), and the Cisco Developers Network (CDN). You can read all about the VIP program and discover the Cisco Support Community (CSC) here.

This is the fourth year for this program and I am happy to see the Cisco team running the program keeping it alive an well. The CSC is, without a doubt, the best online resource for getting support and information on Cisco technologies. The Cisco team that works behind the scenes of the CSC are an outstanding group of individuals who really care about establishing a robust and sustainable collaboration environment. 

The best news (from my point of view anyway) is that I was selected as a Cisco Designated VIP for 2014. I didn't make the cut for 2013 (I'd like to use my pursuit of the CCIE as an excuse, if you'll allow!) and it feels good to be back in that circle of outstanding talent. There are 36 VIPs this year! That is amazing and definitely demonstrates that the community is alive and well.

I'd also like to take a moment to congratulate the other designated VIPs. I am in great company and you all make me look good, keep it up because I need all the help I can get! I'd also like to thank a few of the VIPs for taking the time to help me out of a few jams. Thanks to Aaron, Anthony, Huff, Jonathan, Martin, Chris D., and of course my brother, David Hailey. 

While I am at it, hats off to my fellow Chesapeake NetCraftsmen colleagues Rick Burts and David Hailey for also making the cut. 

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Congratulations to the Cisco Designated VIPs 2013

I just wanted to take a moment to recognize some folks who work hard to help their fellow IT professionals out of some interesting jams. The Cisco Support Community (CSC, formerly NetPro) recently announced the 2013 Cisco Designated VIPs.

The Cisco Designated VIP program recognizes the top external individual contributors in Cisco's online communities, including the Cisco Learning Network (CLN), the Cisco Support Community (CSC), and the Cisco Developers Network (CDN). Cisco Designated VIPs are recognized by their peers for their expertise and tireless contributions. Cisco Designated VIPs are generous, credible, and accessible to their peers and their abundant participation is vital to community success.  With the Cisco Designated VIP program, Cisco formally recognizes the positive, valuable influence our top individual members exert on the communities overall.

This is the third year for this program and I am happy to see the Cisco team that runs the program keeping it alive an well. The CSC is, without a doubt, the best online resource for getting support and information on Cisco technologies. 

Of course, this is the first year that I am not on the VIP list. I guess we'll have to remediate that oversight next year! To Dan Bruhn, Litsa Pitsillidou, and all of the other Cisco folks that keep the community alive (sorry if I don't mention you by name) -- keep up the outstanding work! I may still see you at Cisco Live and I will still want a shirt ;-)

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Cisco Live 2012 Recap

It has been two weeks since Cisco Live and I am finally finding some time to do a write up. The original plan was to write a "daily" blog series on my experience at Cisco Live 2012 in San Diego, CA. Well, as anyone who has attended Cisco Live knows, Cisco's annual networking event has a way of warping space and time. My Cisco Live experience technically was five 24-hour chunks of time more commonly known as "days". In reality, it felt like one, long day. I barely remember going back to the hotel, much less sleeping.


Following Live!, I found myself 460 miles north of San Diego in San Jose, CA. feeding my brain at a CCIE bootcamp. Here I am two weeks after Live! started and I am finally finding some time to blog about the experience. So, instead of a series of short "dailies" I will try to capture the key pillars of my Live! experience.

Cisco Live 2012 is Right Around the Corner

The hours are ticking away quickly and over the course of the next few days, techies of all ages will begin to converge on San Diego, CA. By Monday of next week throngs of back-pack wielding techno-geeks will be filing down 1st Avenue, Front Street, and West Harbor Drive. With badges swinging to and fro, these back-packing silicon adventurers will be marching steadily to the San Diego Convention Center (SDCC) to pay homage to all that is Cisco. That's right, I am talking about Cisco Live packet fans.


I am amazed at how fast a year has come and gone. In just 24 hours or so, I will be hopping on a "short flight" from Washington, D.C. to San Diego. To join my fellow cyber lemmings in the great "Gathering".